Introduction to 1 Corinthians

Read Acts 18:1-18

Imagine an evangelist being forced to leave a church in your hometown.

In this church, people’s traditions were more important than the personal experience of God during a Sunday morning meeting. This church was so polite and formal that the people thought the Word of God was only good stories with very little real truth.

But, somehow a man who worshiped God was invited to speak. Sunday after Sunday he told people that Jesus is the Christ. They believed that “Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say. He was buried, and three days later he was raised to life, as the Scriptures say.” (I Cor. 15:3,4)

Soon, people said, “We have never done it that way!”, “Hypocrite!” and “God did not call us to judge people. He is a God of love.” The evangelist was forced to leave the church.

He could have said, “Let me back,” but, instead, he “shook the dust from his clothes and told them, ‘Whatever happens to you will be your own fault! I am not to blame.’” (Acts 18:6) He also explained that he would talk to those who would listen.

The evangelist went next door to a place where people worshiped God. People came to hear the truth and believed. Yet church members still threatened and accused, trying to stop what was happening. (Why do we often hate what we do not understand?)

The evangelist felt both discouragement and success. Then God “said, ‘Don’t be afraid to keep on preaching. Don’t stop! I am with you, and you won’t be harmed. Many people in this city belong to me.’” (Acts 18:9, 10)

The evangelist continued teaching for a year and a half. The church leaders panicked and went to the president, but he wanted the people to talk to each other. He refused to get involved saying they should settle it themselves.

“If you were charging this man with a crime or some other wrong, I would have to listen to you. But since this concerns only words, names, and your own law, you will have to take care of it. I refuse to judge such matters.” (Acts 18:14, 15)

The evangelist openly preached to all kinds of people: Americans, Indians, Brazilians, Frenchmen, Koreans, Kenyans, people who committed sexual sins, thieves, drug addicts, gamblers, as well as the covetous, and many others. (I Cor. 6:9, 10)

Now, imagine all of these accepting Jesus as Christ and going to one church together. They know grace and the power of the Holy Spirit. But they don’t know how to live a Christian life in their city. They only know how to live a sinful life in the church. They want to add their beliefs and experiences to the evangelist’s message.

Before the evangelist goes to another city, he asks a new leader to help the people apply the message to their experiences and understanding. (This is like letting God’s Word change how we think about our world.) There are conflicts. The new leader knows he needs help and sends an e-mail to the evangelist. (I Cor. 1:11).

The evangelist is very busy at another church, so he sends an e-mail to everyone in the church. He promises to visit as soon as he can. He teaches the church to seek truth and live by it. Finally, he answers their questions (I Cor. 7:1).

This is what happened in Corinth.

Corinth was a large city of 400,000 to 600,000 people, the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. It was near the water that, today, divides Greece in half. To the west was the Gulf of Corinth; to the east, the port of Cenchrea.

Corinth had a lot of people from different places and with different ideas. Corinth was known for not following laws or rules. To “Corinthianize” began to mean, “go to the devil”. There are also some phrases that use “Corinth” to mean the same thing.

God’s grace swept over the city and made a church of people who really believed. But their past did not disappear as they entered the church doors. So much was the same, but Paul wanted them to know what should change and how to change it.

Thought Questions

1. Mark 7:8 (Amplified) You disregard and give up and ask to depart from you the commandment of God and cling to the traditions of men [keeping it carefully and faithfully]. (CEV: “You disobey God’s commands in order to obey what humans have taught.”) What are some traditions that keep us from hearing God’s truth? If Paul went to your church, would you be ready to hear the truth?

2. How should we respond to people who ignore God’s message? (Acts 18:6)

3. How has God strengthened you when you felt both discouragement and success? You see your success, and yet you doubt.

4. How should church conflicts be solved? The Jews believed in the Law and traditions, but they could not see Jesus as Christ. Some Christians believe in Biblical principles, but deny essential truth. What issues threaten to divide Christians in your home country? Is there a time to let government resolve conflict? Explain.

5. How can we let the “Church” influence the “world” instead of letting the “world” influence the “Church”? How do we let the world influence the “Church” instead of letting the “Church” influence the “world”?

Questions posed by Spittler (page 15)

1. What is the difference between an adult Christian and a baby Christian? How can a person show elements of God’s Spirit and still be immature?

2. How can we live our lives when we have important responsibilities in God’s Kingdom and also obvious sin?

3. What does it mean to live an “adequately Christian life in a dominantly pagan culture”?

Thoughts to consider as we study I Corinthians

(Morris, 26)

1. Morris states that Paul “set right disorders which the Corinthians took lightly, but which he saw as grave sins.” (Paul corrected things that he thought were important and the Corinthians didn’t.) What did the Corinthians think was unimportant?

2. What are the questions that the Corinthians had for Paul?

3. What issues of belief did Paul address? Why did Paul spend a whole chapter talking about the resurrection?

Bibliography

Hamar, Paul A. 1980. The Book of First Corinthians. Springfield, Mo. Gospel Publishing House

Morris, Leon 1999. I Corinthians. Leicester, England. Inter-Varsity Press.

Spittler, Russell P. 1976. The Corinthian Correspondence. Springfield, Mo. Gospel Publishing House

by Janice Brockus

edited Amanda Brockus